Far Out NASA Publications You Need for National Space Day 2018

May 3, 2018

“That’s one small step for man. One giant leap for mankind.” – Neil Armstrong

Faster than you can quote the great Neil Armstrong, National Space Day 2018 is here. National Space Day is celebrated annually on the first Friday of May. It was created by Lockheed Martin in 1997 as a day to promote the STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) fields among young people and to encourage youth to learn more about space and space exploration. From calendars to books, the GPO bookstore has everything your favorite stargazer needs to celebrate the solar system.

We all know NASA. In layman’s terms, it’s where some of the most brilliant people build rocket ships and send men floating into space. Even a simple Google search for “What does NASA do?” will turn up the result that the agency “is responsible for science and technology related to air and space.” But don’t believe everything you read on the internet. GPO is here to tell you this: NASA technology is not just made for air and space. It’s all around us. Right here on planet earth.

Spinoff 2018 is a newly-released book published by NASA that highlights this commercialized NASA technology, which can be found in lots of everyday items from phones to furniture to cars. We won’t give it all away, but in the book, NASA walks readers through initial uses for the technology and how these spinoffs have helped make advances in health and medicine, public safety, energy and the environment, information technology, and more. You’ve got to read it to believe it.

Need a little more space? Your wish upon a luminous point in the night sky is our command. The International Space Station: Operating an Outpost in the New Frontier is also available for purchase now. NASA’s flight director, who authored the book, takes readers through the operations of the International Space Station from the perspective of the Houston flight control team.

Know someone who’s a total space cadet? Keep them organized with the NASA Science 2018 Commemorative Calendar, still available for purchase. It’s full of mesmerizing photos of the stars, galaxy and everyone’s favorite planet … Earth, of course. Sorry, other planets. You’re great with all your rings and ice. Just not very inhabitable.

Go on, get lost in space. Check out these publications.  May the fourth be with you!

The GPO Online Bookstore – Easy Access to Federal Publications

HOW DO I OBTAIN THESE RESOURCES?

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at https://bookstore.gpo.gov.

Shop our Retail Store: Buy a copy of any print editions from this collection at GPO’s retail bookstore at 710 North Capitol Street NW, Washington, DC 20401, open Monday–Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., except Federal holidays, Call (202) 512-0132 for information or to arrange in-store pick-up.

Order by Phone: Call our Customer Contact Center Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5:30 pm Eastern (except US Federal holidays). From US and Canada, call toll-free 1.866.512.1800. DC or International customers call +1.202.512.1800.

Visit a Federal depository library: Search for U.S. Government publications in a nearby Federal depository library. You can find the records for most titles in GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications.

About the author: Blogger contributor Cat Goergen is the PR Specialist in GPO’s Public Relations office.

 

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Posted by Trudy Hawkins

Law Day

May 1, 2018

Since 1958 our Nation has celebrated a unique holiday every year on May 1. According the American Bar Association (ABA), Law Day is held on May 1 every year to celebrate the role of law in our society and to promote a deeper understanding of the legal profession.

The foundation of Law Day is the annual appreciation of the deeper meaning behind President Dwight D. Eisenhower’s quote that, “If civilization is to survive, it must choose the rule of law.” Eisenhower was the first president to officially recognize Law Day.

The ABA announces a theme every year to guide the celebration and offer a specific focus. This year’s theme is “Separation of Powers: The Framework for Freedom.” The U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO) offers a great resource for teaching children about this topic on Ben’s Guide to the U.S. Government.

If you’re looking for something more, perhaps you can dive deep into the Code of Federal Regulations or peruse through the list of Public and Private Laws. These are hosted digitally by GPO at govinfo.gov along with the Congressional Bills and the Statutes At Large.

There are so many aspects of the law to review for your annual celebration, and GPO has you covered if you need a good place to start. Between govinfo and the Catalog of U.S. Government Publications (CGP), GPO has digital copies of just about anything you could think of.

GPO also offers access to several items that can help your organization celebrate this unique history. The Government Bookstore offers several titles about this topic. Some of those include:

  • Compilation of Federal Ethics Laws – This compilation of Federal ethics laws has been prepared by the Office of Government Ethics (OGE) for the ethics community. In preparing this book, they have included not only the laws within the jurisdiction of the ethics program, but also other related statutes on which ethics officials are often called upon to provide advice to agency employees. OGE hopes that this book will be a useful tool to ethics officials in carrying out their important work of helping Federal employees to fulfill the public trust placed in them when they enter public service.

This compilation includes all provisions signed into law through the end of the 114th Congress.

  • How Our Laws Are Made, 2007 – This brochure is intended to provide a basic outline of the numerous steps of our Federal law making process from the source of an idea for a legislative proposal through its publication as a statute. The legislative process is a matter about which every person should be well informed in order to understand and appreciate the work of Congress.
  • How a Bill Becomes a Law (Poster) – Displays an outline of the many steps in our Federal law making process from the introduction of a bill by any Member through passage by the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate and approved by the President of the United States. 8.5 x 11 in.

GPO’s commitment to Keeping America Informed will continue to strive to provide access to Government information on all issues that affect the public in all aspects of their life.

The GPO Online Bookstore – Easy Access to Federal Publications

HOW DO I OBTAIN THESE RESOURCES?

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at https://bookstore.gpo.gov.

Shop our Retail Store: Buy a copy of any print editions from this collection at GPO’s retail bookstore at 710 North Capitol Street NW, Washington, DC 20401, open Monday–Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., except Federal holidays, Call (202) 512-0132 for information or to arrange in-store pick-up.

Order by Phone: Call our Customer Contact Center Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5:30 pm Eastern (except US Federal holidays). From US and Canada, call toll-free 1.866.512.1800. DC or International customers call +1.202.512.1800.

Visit a Federal depository library: Search for U.S. Government publications in a nearby Federal depository library. You can find the records for most titles in GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications.

About the author: Blogger contributor Scott Pauley is a Writer and Editor in GPO’s Library Services and Content Management offices.

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Posted by Trudy Hawkins

“Maximize Your Dollars During Money Smart Week” Part 4: U.S. Federal Government Finances

April 26, 2018

How is the Federal Government doing with its debt and finances?

This blog post is the last in our “Maximize Your Dollars During Money Smart Week” series and highlights a few new books about Federal finances including financial debt, exporting & international trade, and the U.S. economy.

Here are a few new books to check out by the U.S. Federal Government:

Financial Report of the United States FY 2017  This report is a thorough overview of the federal government’s current financial position and future fiscal projections. Coverage includes current trends in revenues, costs, deficit and debt. It also highlights the government’s long-term fiscal challenge of funding the Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid programs.

Each section includes a summary of actions along with tabular charts to represent the data. The summary sections also include earned revenues, taxes, social security, Medicare, long-term fiscal projections, America’s debt and more. Policymakers, budget analysts, governmental personnel, economists, financial analysts, America’s businesses, including Small Business sector, U.S. economic trade partners, and American citizens interested in the financial state and growth of our country, may be interested in this resource. Students and professors studying the federal budget, U.S. economy, and financial projection statistics may also have a keen interest in this material for research. Public, special and academic libraries may also want a copy of this resource for their economic and government collections.

Economic Indicators, monthly periodical subscription, provides economic information on gross domestic product, income, employment, prices, wages, production, business activity, credit, purchasing power, security markets and more.

Mineral Commodity Summaries 2018 may serve as a wonderful reference to you for understanding trends and issues for each mineral commodity. You will find which commodity has a Government stockpile with detailed information concerning the stockpile status within a two-page synopsis. Additionally, tabular presentations on domestic industry structure, Government programs, tariffs, 5-year salient statistics and world production and resources can also be found in this updated volume. The Appendices included provide relevant information that may assist you with understanding the topics that are discussed across America’s news medium. This publication benefits American citizens, economists, investment traders, exporters, customs brokers, and individuals who may want to know more about mineral commodities and their impact on international trade. High school sophomores and above taking economic classes that cover international trade, exporting and tariffs may find this annual reference helpful for research papers and essays relating to commodities, tariffs, and international trade.

Additional books about Exporting & Foreign Trade

More resources about Budget & the Economy

Part 1 of this Money Smart series can be found here.

Part 2 of this blog post series can be found here.

Part 3 of this blog post series can be found here.

The GPO Online Bookstore – Easy Access to Federal Publications

HOW DO I OBTAIN THESE RESOURCES?

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at https://bookstore.gpo.gov.

Shop our Retail Store: Buy a copy of any print editions from this collection at GPO’s retail bookstore at 710 North Capitol Street NW, Washington, DC 20401, open Monday–Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., except Federal holidays, Call (202) 512-0132 for information or to arrange in-store pick-up.

Order by Phone: Call our Customer Contact Center Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5:30 pm Eastern (except US Federal holidays). From US and Canada, call toll-free 1.866.512.1800. DC or International customers call +1.202.512.1800.

Visit a Federal depository library: Search for U.S. Government publications in a nearby Federal depository library. You can find the records for most titles in GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications.

About the author: This week’s blog contributor is Maureen Whelan, Senior Marketing Team Leader for GPO’s Publication and Information Sales program office in Washington, DC. Maureen oversees print and digital content dissemination strategy and manages third party free and paid content distribution through platforms and vendors, such as Apple iBookstore, Barnesandnoble.com, Google Play eBookstore, Ebscohost databases, Overdrive, and ProQuest.

Leave a Comment » | finances, Office of Management and Budget, U.S. Economy | Tagged: , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Trudy Hawkins

“Maximize Your Dollars During Money Smart Week” Part 3: Retirement Planning

April 25, 2018

This third blog post in the “Maximize Your Dollars During Money Smart Week” series features #retirement planning. These U.S. Federal Government resources features an overview of financial guidance about 401(K) retirement plans and Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS).

What You Should Know About Your Retirement Plan covers private investment retirement plans governed by state laws and guidelines in the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). This guidance will help you plan and explain what information you should review periodically and where to go for help with your questions. Specific circumstances, such as how a divorce change or employer ownership may affect your retirement benefit, are included. American citizens, investment advisers, accountants, CPAs, individual investors, employers and owners, and Federal Government employees may be interested in this information.

Companion:  Lo Que Usted Debe Saber Sobre Su Plan de Jubilacion

Applying for Deferred or Postponed Retirement Under the Federal Employees Retirement System FERS primarily applies to U.S. Federal Government employees that started working after January 1, 1987 and explains the process of applying for a Federal employee retirement annuity through the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) program.

Find more Retirement resources

Check out “Maximize Your Dollars During Money Smart Week” blog post series #1 Financial Aid planning here and blog post series #2 -Long-Term Care Financial resource planning here.

Coming Soon – U.S. Federal Government Finance Management

The GPO Online Bookstore – Easy Access to Federal Publications

HOW DO I OBTAIN THESE RESOURCES?

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at https://bookstore.gpo.gov.

Shop our Retail Store: Buy a copy of any print editions from this collection at GPO’s retail bookstore at 710 North Capitol Street NW, Washington, DC 20401, open Monday–Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., except Federal holidays, Call (202) 512-0132 for information or to arrange in-store pick-up.

Order by Phone: Call our Customer Contact Center Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5:30 pm Eastern (except US Federal holidays). From US and Canada, call toll-free 1.866.512.1800. DC or International customers call +1.202.512.1800.

Visit a Federal depository library: Search for U.S. Government publications in a nearby Federal depository library. You can find the records for most titles in GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications.

About the author: This week’s blog contributor is Maureen Whelan, Senior Marketing Team Leader for GPO’s Publication and Information Sales program office in Washington, DC. Maureen oversees print and digital content dissemination strategy and manages third party free and paid content distribution through platforms and vendors, such as Apple iBookstore, Barnesandnoble.com, Google Play eBookstore, Ebscohost databases, Overdrive, and ProQuest.

Leave a Comment » | Department of Labor, Jobs and Employment | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Trudy Hawkins

“Maximize Your Dollars During Money Smart Week” Part 2: Long-Term Care Financial Planning

April 24, 2018

Money Smart Week helps consumers manage their personal finances better. We have put together a four-part series called “Maximize Your Dollars During Money Smart Week” showcasing different Federal publications to offer financial planning for American citizens.

  • Part 1 will focus on financial aid
  • Part 2 will focus on long-term healthcare planning
  • Part 3 will focus on retirement planning
  • Part 4 will focus on the U.S. Federal Government Finances

Part 2: Long-Term Care Financial Planning

“Maximize Your Dollars During Money Smart Week” presents #eldercare resources for seniors and their families to plan for long-term care needs.

Need help planning for long-term healthcare and figuring out what services are covered by Medicare?

Medicare & Home Health Care is the official Federal Government resource providing you with the “Go-To” information you need to determine your Medicare rights.  It helps answer these questions:

  • Who’s eligible?
  • What services are covered?
  • How do I find and compare home health agencies?

Medicare-eligible individuals and their families, home health care personnel and agencies, skilled-nursing care facilities, physical and occupational therapists, physicians and medical teams that treat Medicare patients, may be most interested in this guide. Many may find the Home Health Agency and Home Health Care checklists helpful in finding home health care for their needs. A glossary is also included for a better understanding of health care terms..

Your Guide to Choosing a Nursing Home or Other Long-Term Services & Supports provides a detailed outline of different types of insurance., Here you’ll find an explanation of the role  Medicare and Medicaid play in the process of acquiring nursing home care or alternative types of care. The guide also provides a “Definitions” section and a Nursing Home checklist. People considering entering nursing homes or receiving elder care, as well as family members helping to make this choice with their elderly loved ones, will find this informative publication extremely helpful.

Don’t forget … just like younger people, seniors need exercise too – Check out our resources collection on aging and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).

Part 1 in this blog series – Financial Planning for Post-High School Education

Coming soon – Part 3 Retirement Planning and Federal Finance Management

The GPO Online Bookstore – Easy Access to Federal Publications

HOW DO I OBTAIN THESE RESOURCES?

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at https://bookstore.gpo.gov.

Shop our Retail Store: Buy a copy of any print editions from this collection at GPO’s retail bookstore at 710 North Capitol Street NW, Washington, DC 20401, open Monday–Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., except Federal holidays, Call (202) 512-0132 for information or to arrange in-store pick-up.

Order by Phone: Call our Customer Contact Center Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5:30 pm Eastern (except US Federal holidays). From US and Canada, call toll-free 1.866.512.1800. DC or International customers call +1.202.512.1800.

Visit a Federal depository library: Search for U.S. Government publications in a nearby Federal depository library. You can find the records for most titles in GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications.

About the author: This week’s blog contributor is Maureen Whelan, Senior Marketing Team Leader for GPO’s Publication and Information Sales program office in Washington, DC. Maureen oversees print and digital content dissemination strategy and manages third party free and paid content distribution through platforms and vendors, such as Apple iBookstore, Barnesandnoble.com, Google Play eBookstore, Ebscohost databases, Overdrive, and ProQuest.

Leave a Comment » | aging, Department of Health & Human Services, finances, Health care | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Trudy Hawkins

“Maximize Your Dollars During Money Smart Week” blog post series from the US GPO

April 23, 2018

Money Smart Week helps consumers manage their personal finances better. We have put together a four-part series called “Maximize Your Dollars During Money Smart Week” showcasing different Federal publications to offer financial planning for American citizens.

  • Part 1 will focus on financial aid
  • Part 2 will focus on long-term healthcare planning
  • Part 3 will focus on retirement planning
  • Part 4 will focus on the U.S. Federal Government Finances

Part 1: Financial Aid planning for Post-High School Education

Are you returning to school for more education?  Or sending a son/daughter to college for specialized courses or more education? 

Fundamentals of Federal Student Aid Administration 2017−2018 is a comprehensive workshop kit provided as a participant guide to help you prepare your financial aid application requirements, including repayment obligations for postsecondary education. This essential resource covers the FAFSA, PLUS loans, and Pell grants to provide you with the necessary paperwork required for submitting a financial aid application. High school students, parents, caregivers and graduate students may be most interested in this authoritative guidance.

Funding Your Education: The Guide to Federal Student Aid provides a description of Federal Student Aid programs and the application process. FREE eBook downloads of this product are available directly through the US Government Online Bookstore, and through Apple iBookstore, Barnesandnoble.com, Google Play and Overdrive. Please use ISBN: 9780160926235 to search for this eBook through these platforms. MOBI format is available for free download directly from the US Government Online Bookstore here.

Please also check out our Student Financial Aid resources and Jobs & Employment categories.

The GPO Online Bookstore – Easy Access to Federal Publications

HOW DO I OBTAIN THESE RESOURCES?

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at https://bookstore.gpo.gov.

Shop our Retail Store: Buy a copy of any print editions from this collection at GPO’s retail bookstore at 710 North Capitol Street NW, Washington, DC 20401, open Monday–Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., except Federal holidays, Call (202) 512-0132 for information or to arrange in-store pick-up.

Order by Phone: Call our Customer Contact Center Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5:30 pm Eastern (except US Federal holidays). From US and Canada, call toll-free 1.866.512.1800. DC or International customers call +1.202.512.1800.

Visit a Federal depository library: Search for U.S. Government publications in a nearby Federal depository library. You can find the records for most titles in GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications.

About the author: This week’s blog contributor is Maureen Whelan, Senior Marketing Team Leader for GPO’s Publication and Information Sales program office in Washington, DC. Maureen oversees print and digital content dissemination strategy and manages third party free and paid content distribution through platforms and vendors, such as Apple iBookstore, Barnesandnoble.com, Google Play eBookstore, Ebscohost databases, Overdrive, and ProQuest.

 

Leave a Comment » | Department of Education | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Trudy Hawkins

How is the Agricultural Sector Doing? The Latest Vital Statistics

April 12, 2018

There’s no more critical economic sector supporting a thriving and growing American economy than the great work of the nation’s farmers, livestock, and fisheries operators. A healthy agri-sector not only makes for a healthy American family, but also is of great importance as a reliable export contributor.

The Department of Agriculture’s yearly report, “Agricultural Cooperative Statistics”, is published annually to provide information on the position and trends among the America’s farmer, rancher, and fishery cooperatives. The latest report with 2016 data was just released.

These statistics are used for cooperative benchmarking, research, technical assistance, education, planning, and public policy. The collection, analysis, and dissemination of cooperative statistics are managed by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

The GPO Online Bookstore – Easy Access to Federal Publications

HOW DO I OBTAIN THIS RESOURCE?

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at https://bookstore.gpo.gov.

Shop our Retail Store: Buy a copy of any print editions from this collection at GPO’s retail bookstore at 710 North Capitol Street NW, Washington, DC 20401, open Monday–Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., except Federal holidays, Call (202) 512-0132 for information or to arrange in-store pick-up.

Order by Phone: Call our Customer Contact Center Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5:30 pm Eastern (except US Federal holidays). From US and Canada, call toll-free 1.866.512.1800. DC or International customers call +1.202.512.1800.

Visit a Federal depository library: Search for U.S. Government publications in a nearby Federal depository library. You can find the records for most titles in GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications.

About the author: Blogger contributor Ed Kessler is a Promotions Specialist in GPO’s Publication and Information Sales program office.

Leave a Comment » | Agriculture, Consumers, Department of Agriculture | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Trudy Hawkins

School Librarian Day

April 4, 2018

April 4th is National School Librarian Day.  It’s a day all Americans, especially those with children, should actively honor all school librarians.  School librarians spend their days keeping the library organized, aiding children find the resources they want and need to keep learning. Dedicated to their profession and to creating an environment where all visitors can learn in every day of the year.  All of this hard work too often goes un-noticed, even unappreciated.

Young minds needs to be nurtured.  Gently challenging those minds with good quality, by offering up interesting and new reading material and reference materials is what school librarians do best.

The U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO) has a deep connection to the libraries across America. The best example: The Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP), established by Congress in 1813 to ensure Americans have access to the Government’s information. Many of these Federal depository libraries have been working with GPO for more than 120 years to keep Americans informed on the news of their government.  GPO’s Government Bookstore offers many publications that can benefit young minds.

Here are just a few:

Join the Lorax To Help Save Energy, Water, and Protect the Planet Activity Book

The Environmental Protection Agency says “Join the Lorax and ENERGY STAR by doing your part. Save energy at home and at school – to keep pollution out of the air and keep the earth cool! The Lorax can teach us a thing or two, about saving water – that’s a good thing for the earth too.” A graphic and simple-to-understand activity book to engage school children in learning and caring about the environment and how to improve America’s quality of life. (The Lorax is a Dr. Suess property. TM 2015)

 Where Is Bear?: A Terrific Tale For 2-Year Olds

Where is Bear? is a fun, interactive way to encourage 2-year-olds in their development and to help parents monitor their children’s attainment of important skills. It’s a win-win for early development!  Meet Tiger, Bear, and their forest friends, Bird, Frog, Fox, and Turtle! In this terrifically unique and interactive tale, your 2-year-old child will help Tiger find Bear. Each step in your child’s quest to find Bear highlights important milestones in your child’s growth and development. Look for the leaf at the bottom of the page for these Milestone Moments.

 Amazing Me: It’s Busy Being 3

In this story, an amazing kangaroo named Joey shows all of the amazing things he can do now that he is 3 years old. These amazing things are called developmental milestones. First steps, first words, and using the potty for the first time are all developmental milestones. Other developmental milestones, like the ones in this book, may not be as easy to see, but they are just as important for your child’s development.

The GPO Online Bookstore – Easy Access to Federal Publications

HOW DO I OBTAIN THIS RESOURCE?

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at https://bookstore.gpo.gov.

Shop our Retail Store: Buy a copy of any print editions from this collection at GPO’s retail bookstore at 710 North Capitol Street NW, Washington, DC 20401, open Monday–Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., except Federal holidays, Call (202) 512-0132 for information or to arrange in-store pick-up.

Order by Phone: Call our Customer Contact Center Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5:30 pm Eastern (except US Federal holidays). From US and Canada, call toll-free 1.866.512.1800. DC or International customers call +1.202.512.1800.

Visit a Federal depository library: Search for U.S. Government publications in a nearby Federal depository library. You can find the records for most titles in GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications.

About the author: Blogger contributor Ed Kessler is a Promotions Specialist in GPO’s Publication and Information Sales program office.

Leave a Comment » | Children, Family, Libraries, Parenting, Teachers and teaching | Tagged: , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Trudy Hawkins

National Vietnam War Veterans Day – March 29

March 29, 2018

On March 29, 1973, President Richard Nixon welcomed home the last of the combat military members from the Vietnam War. In honor of that day, we now celebrate their return and the sacrifices our soldiers made to serve our nation proudly overseas. The U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO) offers access to the Vietnam War Veterans Recognition Act of 2017, which designated March 29 as Vietnam War Veterans Recognition Day, through the Catalog of U.S. Government Publications (CGP).

GPO’s govinfo offers the original Presidential Proclamation for Vietnam Veterans Day in 1974. As well as several other items from Congressional Records during the period.

The Vietnam War era saw the American citizens sick of decades of foreign wars, and who blamed the soldiers who fought them upon their return. Because of this unfavorable environment, the Vietnam War Veterans waited decades for their sacrifices to be formally recognized.

More than 2.7 million Americans served in uniform in Vietnam, with more than 58,000 of those service members killed during the war. The Tet Offensive played an important role in weakening U.S. public support for the war in Vietnam.

In January of 1968, during the lunar new year (or “Tet”) holiday, North Vietnamese and communist Viet Cong forces launched a coordinated attack against a number of targets in South Vietnam.

The U.S. and South Vietnamese militaries sustained heavy losses before finally repelling the communist assault. This was widely considered the final straw in an already unpopular American war, and led to the withdrawal of all American forces a few years later.

GPO has printed several publications throughout the years that illustrate the intricacies of this contested war.

GPO’s Government Bookstore offers many publications that can help you pay homage to this unique history. Some of those include:

  • Combat Operations: Staying the Course, October 1967-December 1968 describes the twelve-month period when the Viet Cong and their North Vietnamese allies embarked on a new and more aggressive strategy that shook the foundations of South Vietnam and forced the United States to reevaluate its military calculations in Southeast Asia. Hanoi’s general offensive-general uprising brought the war to South Vietnam’s cities for the first time and disrupted the allied pacification program that was just beginning to take hold in some rural areas formerly controlled by the Communists. For the enemy, however, those achievements came at a staggering cost in manpower and material; more importantly, the Tet offensive failed to cripple the South Vietnamese government or convince the United States to abandon its ally. As the dust settled from the Viet Cong attacks, President Lyndon B. Johnson ordered his military commanders to press ahead with their current strategy unchanged apart from some short-term tactical adjustments and a modest increase in the U.S. troop deployment. His decision to stay the course seemed to bear fruit as the allies repaired their losses and then forged new gains throughout the summer and autumn of 1968. Even so, the allied situation at the end of this period appeared to be only marginally better than it had been in late 1967; the peace talks in Paris had stalled, and American public opinion had turned decisively against the war.
  • Melvin Laird and the Foundation of the Post-Vietnam Military, 1969-1973 . Melvin Laird became President Richard Nixon’s secretary of defense in January 1969. His challenging agenda included two goals: withdrawing the U.S. military from Vietnam and reshaping U.S. the armed forces for the future. He worked toward ending the inequitable draft system and replacing it with an all-volunteer force of regulars supported by National Guard and Reserve components. Laird’s tenure was also marked by battles with Congress and the administration over the defense budget and the antiballistic military system as well as efforts to strengthen alliances with NATO, East Asian allies, and Israel.
  • Advice and Support: The Final Years, 1965-1973 . In Advice and Support: The Final Years, 1965-1973, Jeffrey J. Clarke describes the U.S. Army advisory effort to the South Vietnamese armed forces during the period when the U.S. commitment in Southeast Asia was at its peak. The account encompasses a broad spectrum of activities at several levels, from the physically demanding work of the battalion advisers on the ground to the more sophisticated undertakings of senior military officers at the highest echelons of the American military assistance command in Saigon.
  • U.S. Army Campaigns of the Vietnam War: Taking the Offensive, October 1966-September 1967 . Taking the Offensive, October 1966–September 1967, by Glenn F. Williams, begins with a discussion of Operation ATTLEBORO in Tay Ninh Province. The largest allied operation to date in the war, ATTLEBORO forced the 9th PLAF Division to abandon its attack on Suoi Da Special Forces camp and cost over 1,000 enemy lives. Additional action in War Zone C, including Operations CEDAR FALLS, JUNCTION CITY, and JUNCTION CITY II, highlight the U.S. Army effort to disrupt the network of camps and supply stores of the North Vietnamese main force units through ground and air assault. Operations in Binh Dinh Province — THAYER I, THAYER II, PERSHING, and LEJUNE — continued to inflict heavy losses on the enemy. The efforts of the U.S. Army throughout Vietnam during this time allowed for growing political stability in South Vietnam leading up to the 3 September 1967 election. This pamphlet contains twelve maps and fifteen illustrations.

The GPO Online Bookstore – Easy Access to Federal Publications

HOW DO I OBTAIN THESE RESOURCES?

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at https://bookstore.gpo.gov.

Shop our Retail Store: Buy a copy of any print editions from this collection at GPO’s retail bookstore at 710 North Capitol Street NW, Washington, DC 20401, open Monday–Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., except Federal holidays, Call (202) 512-0132 for information or to arrange in-store pick-up.

Order by Phone: Call our Customer Contact Center Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5:30 pm Eastern (except US Federal holidays). From US and Canada, call toll-free 1.866.512.1800. DC or International customers call +1.202.512.1800.

Visit a Federal depository library: Search for U.S. Government publications in a nearby Federal depository library. You can find the records for most titles in GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications.

About the author: Blogger contributor Scott Pauley is a Writer and Editor in GPO’s Library Services and Content Management offices.

 

Leave a Comment » | Center of Military History, Department of Defense, Military History, U.S. Army, U.S. History, Vietnam | Tagged: , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Trudy Hawkins

National Ag Day – March 20

March 20, 2018

National Ag Day is a day to recognize and celebrate the abundance provided by America’s agricultural community. Every year producers, agricultural associations, corporations, universities, government agencies, and countless others across America join together to recognize the contributions of agriculture.

What Is Ag Day All About?
Ag Day recognizes – and celebrates – the contribution of agriculture in our everyday lives. The National Ag Day program encourages every American to:

  • Understand how food and fiber products are produced.
  • Value the essential role of agriculture in maintaining a strong economy.
  • Appreciate the role agriculture plays in providing safe, abundant and affordable products.

Your family can celebrate and acknowledge the importance of agriculture in our daily lives easily and enjoyably by engaging your children in creating recipes that you also can suggest to your local school cafeteria leaders. Here’s an easy way to get involved; by obtaining this easy-to-prepare set of fun and nutritional recipes.

Recipes for Healthy Kids Cookbook for Schools from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. This cookbook presents a variety of recipes, with full color photographs of the finished meals, for children (and adults!).  The recipes have fun names and are tasty to both kids and adults, and include nutritional ingredients like dark green and orange vegetables, dry beans and peas, and whole grains.  The recipes are low in fat, saturated fat, sugar, and sodium.

This is a cookbook with recipes that kids and adults will want to prepare and eat, and have fun while doing so, while benefitting by great nutrition!  The cookbook features a collection of recipes from the “Recipes for Healthy Kids Competition,” where children, school nutritionists, chefs, parents, and other interested members of the community submitted their own recipes for fun, healthy foods.

Get on board a more nutritional lifestyle for your family and have fun doing it.

The GPO Online Bookstore – Easy Access to Federal Publications

HOW DO I OBTAIN THIS RESOURCE?

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at https://bookstore.gpo.gov.

Shop our Retail Store: Buy a copy of any print editions from this collection at GPO’s retail bookstore at 710 North Capitol Street NW, Washington, DC 20401, open Monday–Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., except Federal holidays, Call (202) 512-0132 for information or to arrange in-store pick-up.

Order by Phone: Call our Customer Contact Center Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5:30 pm Eastern (except US Federal holidays). From US and Canada, call toll-free 1.866.512.1800. DC or International customers call +1.202.512.1800.

Visit a Federal depository library: Search for U.S. Government publications in a nearby Federal depository library. You can find the records for most titles in GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications.

About the author: Blogger contributor Ed Kessler is a Promotions Specialist in GPO’s Publication and Information Sales program office.

Leave a Comment » | Agriculture, Department of Agriculture, U.S. Department of Agriculture | Tagged: , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Trudy Hawkins

International Women’s Day, March 8, 2018

March 7, 2018

International Women’s Day (IWD) is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity. International Women’s Day has occurred for well over a century. Started by the Suffragettes in the early 1900’s, the first International Women’s Day was celebrated in 1911.

In celebration of International Women’s Day, Government Book Talk is highlighting a new publication from the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom.

Women and Religious Freedom: Synergies and Opportunities. The purpose of this publication is to seek to identify complexities between freedom of religion or belief (FORB) and the right to women’s equality through the analysis of various international human rights law documents impacting this topic. It addresses a fundamental issue especially true in societies with deep historic traditions and values not always in harmony with the progress of women’s equality.

For more publications celebrating the achievements of women go to: https://bookstore.gpo.gov/catalog/women.

The GPO Online Bookstore – Easy Access to Federal Publications

HOW DO I OBTAIN THIS RESOURCE?

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at https://bookstore.gpo.gov.

Shop our Retail Store: Buy a copy of any print editions from this collection at GPO’s retail bookstore at 710 North Capitol Street NW, Washington, DC 20401, open Monday–Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., except Federal holidays, Call (202) 512-0132 for information or to arrange in-store pick-up.

Order by Phone: Call our Customer Contact Center Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5:30 pm Eastern (except US Federal holidays). From US and Canada, call toll-free 1.866.512.1800. DC or International customers call +1.202.512.1800.

Visit a Federal depository library: Search for U.S. Government publications in a nearby Federal depository library. You can find the records for most titles in GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications.

About the author: Blogger contributor Ed Kessler is a Promotions Specialist in GPO’s Publication and Information Sales program office.

 

Leave a Comment » | Human Rights, International, Women | Tagged: , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Trudy Hawkins

Read Across America – March 2

March 1, 2018

On March 2, 2018, Get involved! The National Education Association’s Read Across America Day is a nationwide reading celebration that takes place annually on March 2—Dr. Seuss’s birthday. Across the country, thousands of schools, libraries, and community centers participate by bringing together kids, teens, and books, and you can too! Incorporate these guides and activities to celebrate reading with young people.

The Federal Government Environmental Protection Agency has a fun and informative children’s activity book featuring beloved Dr. Seuss character, the Lorax (Dr. Seuss TM 2015).

Join the Lorax and ENERGY STAR by doing your part. Save energy at home and at school – to keep pollution out of the air and keep the earth cool! The Lorax can teach us a thing or two, about saving water – that’s a good thing for the earth too.” A graphic and simple-to-understand activity book to engage school children in learning and caring about the environment and how to improve America’s quality of life.

You can purchase this fun booklet online at the U.S. Government Bookstore here.

For more on Dr. Seuss, read “Dr. Seuss, U.S Army” from the early days of Government Book Talk.

The GPO Online Bookstore – Easy Access to Federal Publications

HOW DO I OBTAIN THIS RESOURCE?

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at https://bookstore.gpo.gov.

Shop our Retail Store: Buy a copy of any print editions from this collection at GPO’s retail bookstore at 710 North Capitol Street NW, Washington, DC 20401, open Monday–Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., except Federal holidays, Call (202) 512-0132 for information or to arrange in-store pick-up.

Order by Phone: Call our Customer Contact Center Monday through Friday, 8 am to 5:30 pm Eastern (except US Federal holidays). From US and Canada, call toll-free 1.866.512.1800. DC or International customers call +1.202.512.1800.

Visit a Federal depository library: Search for U.S. Government publications in a nearby Federal depository library. You can find the records for most titles in GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications.

About the author: Blogger contributor Ed Kessler is a Promotions Specialist in GPO’s Publication and Information Sales program office.

Leave a Comment » | Consumers, Environment, Environmental Protection Agency | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Permalink
Posted by Trudy Hawkins

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